San Diego

Two 19-year-old men who pleaded guilty to conspiring to rob illegal immigrants near the border were sentenced to 300 days in County Jail.

David McLintock and Tony Lanham, both of Nestor, were also placed on three years’ probation each and fined $500.

Lanham, who has already spent 282 days in jail, including credits for good behavior, will probably be released in the next week or two, Deputy Dist. Atty. Genaro Ramirez said.

McLintock had been free on bond, but was remanded into custody after Tuesday’s sentencing by San Diego Superior Court Judge Thomas Whelan.

Ramirez had asked the judge to sentence the men to three years in state prison. The prosecutor said there were several juvenile defendants also charged, but their sentences in Juvenile Court were less than what Lanham and McLintock received.

The incident involving Lanham and McLintock occurred Jan. 30 when eight border crossers from Mexico were ambushed by the robbers. The bandits were unaware that two San Diego police officers attached to a border detail were nearby.

Roger Varela, 22, of Imperial Beach was shot to death by the officers after they identified themselves and he refused to drop what they believed was a rifle. Afterward, the officers discovered the weapon was a toy replica. A 16-year-old boy was shot in the calf and hospitalized.

Lanham and McLintock pleaded guilty July 1 to conspiracy to commit robbery.